C. Gockel's Blog, page 133
February 22, 2014
February 20, 2014
Bought this book 15 minutes ago and it has already been super...
Bought this book 15 minutes ago and it has already been super helpful in creating new descriptions for emotion…so I don’t have to have peoples eyes widen in surprise too often.
So I Googled “Norse mythology humor” and this...
So I Googled “Norse mythology humor” and this picture came up. At first I was vaguely disgusted. And then I laughed. It is a funny picture, though perhaps not in the way the artist intended. (The artist has evidently never ridden a horse, or worn a bikini—there is a reason why chaps are made of leather!)
Original source unknown, but I found it here.
February 18, 2014
Story is King
So you’re thinking of self-publishing. You’ve figured out for a niche author, thinking of a series, you’re much more likely to make money self-pubbing than going the traditional route.
You’ve done your homework. You know you need to hire a professional cover designer and get a professional copyeditor before your big splash. You also need to create a website. Spend some money on marketing. Maybe make a video. Maybe host a release party. You’re ready to put down a good $13,000,’cause you’ll know that will get you SET.
Right? Right?
Wrong.
I’m about to tell you everything you’ve heard about this gig is upside down and inside out. And yes. Wrong.
A video doesn’t guarantee success. A release party definitely doesn’t guarantee you success. And a great cover and a great copy editor won’t make you successful either. The only thing any of those things guarantee is that you’re going to pay a lot of money and possibly never see a return on your investment.
What you need is a story. A story that you hand off to your friends and they say, “Wow, I was supposed to be checking for grammar, but I got so caught up in this I forgot.” You need your writer friends to say, “I could not put this down.” (You need your nitpicky mother who hates fantasy to say, “I liked this; it was okay”).
You can actually start with a crap cover. You have to have decent editing, and try to follow the rules of the English language to the best of your ability. But if you don’t have to hire that copy-editor who charges 4 cents a word but has traditional publishing experience right off the bat either.
Because what it comes down to is, do people like your characters? And do they enjoy the situations your characters get into? Is the grammar sufficient enough to draw them in and make them forget that they’re reading a story most of the time?
Put your story out there—maybe make it free for a few days—get some feedback, earn a little cash after those first reviews come in and you start selling…and THEN think about that perfect cover and that copy editor. (You can go back and re-edit your books, you know that, right?)
Will you get some comments about your editing not being perfect. Yes, yes, you will. And probably some comments about your cover too.
…but you might get comments from the shut-in, the cancer patient, and the person going through rough family situations. Comments that say, “Hey, your book, it got me through a really tough time…”
You know, LOVE from real people, with real problems and real lives. Aren’t those really the people you’re writing for?
If you’re not getting good feedback, you don’t need the cover, the video, the website, or the Facebook page, you need to go back to the story.*
(* Maybe that means the copy-editor, maybe it means the Writer’s Critique Circle, if you’re struggling to pay your mortgage, don’t bet it on a copy editor being able to fix all your problems! They can give you direction, but not tell you HOW exactly to do it. That’s gonna be all you.)
February 17, 2014
Hello! I have purchased all three of your "I Bring The Fire" books through Amazon kindle and I just finished the second one. I wanted to tell you how much I love your series -- I love how you have brought the character of Loki to life in a very different w
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like I Bring the Fire!
I just handed “Fates” off to my copy editor. She says it generally takes her about 2 weeks. I’m trying a new editor this time. Previously, I’ve relied on a professional TECHNICAL editor who volunteered her services. This time I’ve hired a professional fiction editor. I’m interested to see if this will provide a smoother reading experience for my audience.
I always offer a introductory rate when I first release. If you want to be sure you don’t miss out sign up for my mailing list. Follow me on Facebook, or just be sure to check back here.
Hello! I have purchased all three of your "I Bring The Fire" books through Amazon kindle and I just finished the second one. I wanted to tell you how much I love your series -- I love how you have brought the character of Loki to life in a very different w
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like I Bring the Fire!
I just handed “Fates” off to my copy editor. She says it generally takes her about 2 weeks. I’m trying a new editor this time. Previously, I’ve relied on a professional TECHNICAL editor who volunteered her services. This time I’ve hired a professional fiction editor. I’m interested to see if this will provide a smoother reading experience for my audience.
I always offer a introductory rate when I first release. If you want to be sure you don’t miss out sign up for my mailing list. Follow me on Facebook, or just be sure to check back here.
Hello! I have purchased all three of your "I Bring The Fire" books through Amazon kindle and I just finished the second one. I wanted to tell you how much I love your series -- I love how you have brought the character of Loki to life in a very different w
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like I Bring the Fire!
I just handed “Fates” off to my copy editor. She says it generally takes her about 2 weeks. I’m trying a new editor this time. Previously, I’ve relied on a professional TECHNICAL editor who volunteered her services. This time I’ve hired a professional fiction editor. I’m interested to see if this will provide a smoother reading experience for my audience.
I always offer a introductory rate when I first release. If you want to be sure you don’t miss out sign up for my mailing list. Follow me on Facebook, or just be sure to check back here.
Hello! I have purchased all three of your "I Bring The Fire" books through Amazon kindle and I just finished the second one. I wanted to tell you how much I love your series -- I love how you have brought the character of Loki to life in a very different w
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like I Bring the Fire!
I just handed “Fates” off to my copy editor. She says it generally takes her about 2 weeks. I’m trying a new editor this time. Previously, I’ve relied on a professional TECHNICAL editor who volunteered her services. This time I’ve hired a professional fiction editor. I’m interested to see if this will provide a smoother reading experience for my audience.
I always offer a introductory rate when I first release. If you want to be sure you don’t miss out sign up for my mailing list. Follow me on Facebook, or just be sure to check back here.
Hello! I have purchased all three of your "I Bring The Fire" books through Amazon kindle and I just finished the second one. I wanted to tell you how much I love your series -- I love how you have brought the character of Loki to life in a very different w
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like I Bring the Fire!
I just handed “Fates” off to my copy editor. She says it generally takes her about 2 weeks. I’m trying a new editor this time. Previously, I’ve relied on a professional TECHNICAL editor who volunteered her services. This time I’ve hired a professional fiction editor. I’m interested to see if this will provide a smoother reading experience for my audience.
I always offer a introductory rate when I first release. If you want to be sure you don’t miss out sign up for my mailing list. Follow me on Facebook, or just be sure to check back here.
Hello! I have purchased all three of your "I Bring The Fire" books through Amazon kindle and I just finished the second one. I wanted to tell you how much I love your series -- I love how you have brought the character of Loki to life in a very different w
Thank you so much! I’m glad you like I Bring the Fire!
I just handed “Fates” off to my copy editor. She says it generally takes her about 2 weeks. I’m trying a new editor this time. Previously, I’ve relied on a professional TECHNICAL editor who volunteered her services. This time I’ve hired a professional fiction editor. I’m interested to see if this will provide a smoother reading experience for my audience.
I always offer a introductory rate when I first release. If you want to be sure you don’t miss out sign up for my mailing list. Follow me on Facebook, or just be sure to check back here.
